Hearing and identifing sounds

by Jagadish
(India)

I just got a rottweiler, which is just 5 weeks old.

I started calling by it’s name and shout at it but i see it doesn’t even care my voice or look at me/direction i am calling from.

So wanted to find out at what age the pups start recognizing sounds?

Hi Jagadish
At 5 weeks old your Rottweiler puppy is a tiny, tiny baby and shouldn’t even have left his momma yet!

Puppies should stay with their mom (and it’s perfectly normal for her not to be nursing them at this age, but that doesn’t mean that they are ready to leave) until they’re at least 8 weeks old.

If possible, I would recommend that you take this pup back to his canine family and leave him there for 3 more weeks, so that he can get all the benefits (both physical and emotional) of being with his ‘pack’ for a bit longer.

If that isn’t possible you are going to need to realize that he’s a tiny infant, and it’s much too early to expect anything from him in terms of training – whether that’s housebreaking or obedience, even name recognition.

Puppies ears open at around 3 weeks of age, and they gradually hear better and better as they develop and grow. But for now, you calling his name means nothing to him, he’s much too young to make that type of association, and he has an attention span of seconds rather than minutes and no bladder/bowel control.

He needs the right diet, lots of rest and sleep, protection from illness or disease and a whole lot of love. Give him these things for the next month or so before you begin to expect anything from him.

Of course he will continue to need all the above after he’s reached 8 or 9 weeks old, but you will then be able to begin some elementary training too – and loving, gentle discipline will begi.

I’d strongly suggest that you read my Taking Care Of A Puppy page as it has lots of tips and advice to help you.

Right now just give your puppy lots of love and be patient while he begins to grow.